Archive

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Celebrating Engineers Week 2024!

February 18-24 is National Engineers Week, and TFMoran is celebrating the hard work of our over 30 Civil, Structural, and Traffic Engineers! This week is promoted annually by Discover E, an ASCE partner, to promote the profession and celebrate engineers by showing the world the essential work engineers contribute to our everyday lives.

This year’s theme “Welcome to the Future”, is about celebrating today’s achievements and paving the way for a brighter and more diverse future in engineering.

Engineering is at the forefront of innovation and is instrumental in designing and creating the solutions that are shaping the world of tomorrow. From the development of the internet and smartphones to space exploration and renewable energy solutions, engineers have been at the forefront of progress, making our lives more efficient, comfortable, and connected. Through their creativity, expertise, and dedication, engineering teams are addressing global challenges, driving technological advancements, and making a positive impact on society’s future. 

Discover E Engineering

Our local publications including the New Hampshire Union LeaderNew Hampshire Business Review, Concord Monitor and the Seacoast Papers published special sections this week to help celebrate the profession. Check out TFMoran’s contributions!

A special thanks to all our engineers and support staff! Happy Engineers Week!

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Kyle Roy Featured in NHBR Ask the Experts: Engineering Best Practices Help Businesses Gain

New Hampshire Business Review‘s February 9th issue features an engineering spotlight, with input from numerous New Hampshire engineering professionals. Principal and Senior Structural Engineer, Kyle Roy gave his thoughts on engineering best practices and how businesses gain from these practices. Read Kyle’s insight below:

Ask the Experts: Engineering Best Practices Help Businesses Gain

As New Hampshire’s commercial building boom kicks into high gear in 2024, some of the Granite State’s leading engineering firms are using the latest cutting-edge technology to provide the best structural designs for their clients. In this week’s New Hampshire Business Review, we take a deep dive into how some of these tools will help these engineering firms deliver better projects and how they can improve their capabilities to better serve their clients. We also talk with both engineering and legal experts about how businesses can save energy costs and help the planet through NH Saves and what New Hampshire is doing to help curb greenhouse gas emissions.

Q: What emerging technologies are poised to revolutionize the structural engineering landscape, and how should businesses prepare to leverage them?
A: Structural engineers seek to provide innovative, efficient and safe structural solutions for every project. A company’s investment in efficiency will be successful if they are willing to rethink existing technologies and adopt recent technologies.

Q: What is a technology tool taking hold in the engineering sector?
A: Off-site and modular construction is established and currently one of the best ways to streamline the building process, to reduce waste and improve project timelines. New materials and fabrication technologies are challenging the industry to rethink what can be built off-site. Building projects must entertain new approaches and explore more off-site construction methods, materials and modular solutions.

Companies should invest in developing expertise in modular construction design. Building information modeling (BIM) is currently being used to create more accurate models that can be used on the fabrication floor to reduce production time and errors.

In addition to being leveraged in modular construction, BIM is a commonly used technology in the architectural, engineering and construction community. BIM is used to create digital representations of physical and functional characteristics of buildings. The digital models enhance collaboration, streamline design and facilitate better project decision-making.

The next evolution for digital models is to pair them with artificial intelligence (AI), and generative design (GD) software. Structural engineers can integrate the use of AI and algorithms to explore numerous generative design options rapidly. Companies should further invest in AI, adopt GD tools and train staff to effectively use it.

Companies that leverage these tools can speed up cloud collaboration and interoperability with other stakeholders in the design and construction process.

BIM models can also be generated from point cloud data from aerial and surface drone scans for existing site surveys and inspections. Drones provide a safe and efficient way to collect data from challenging or dangerous locations.

This data, when paired with cloud storage solutions, provides a significant improvement over traditional photos and field measurements. Companies should integrate drone and LIDAR scanning technologies in the early stages of design for better visualization, collaboration and more accurate data. Invest in drones or scanners and training for staff to champion the technologies.

Develop protocols for incorporating 3D point cloud data from these sources into the design processes. This can lead to improved project understanding of existing conditions, reduce field time and reduce design and construction errors and omissions.

Q: What should businesses do to support the use of building information modeling?
A: With more data collected, a fast and reliable infrastructure is necessary to process and share the data. 5G mobile promises faster and more reliable connectivity, enabling the growth of data collection and other data-intensive applications.

Businesses should explore how 5G can enhance their operations and services. This may require investing in new equipment, adapting IT infrastructure, and developing new applications that leverage high-speed, low-latency connectivity.

To take advantage of these technological advances, businesses should adopt an initiative-taking and agile approach. To do this, businesses need to hire or train to build a tech-savvy workforce who can understand, implement, and manage these technologies. Employers need to listen to and invest in their employee’s interest in specific fields.

This approach creates a base level of empowered staff to incorporate innovative technologies into the company’s service strategies.

Q: What do engineering firms need to do to remain competitive and productive?
A: Given the rapidly evolving nature of technology, it is important to stay informed on the latest developments. Businesses need to collaborate and network with vendors, technology providers, startups and research institutions to stay abreast of the latest innovative products and regularly monitor industry advancements.

It is important to adapt to changing technological landscapes. Companies that are nimble in adopting new tools and services will remain competitive in tomorrow’s engineering landscape.

Check out the rest of the article here.

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TFMoran Celebrates our 12th BOB Award!

TFMoran is honored to be voted as 2023 Best of Business in the Engineering category by New Hampshire Business Review readers. 2023 marks the TWELFTH consecutive year TFMoran has received this award!

The BOB Awards honors the “Best Of Business” in New Hampshire in over 50 business-to-business categories. According to NHBR’s website, more than 3,000 people cast their votes in the BOB Awards survey, recognizing over 500 businesses across New Hampshire. A Big THANK YOU to all who voted for us!

NH Business Review will hold a Caribbean-themed awards celebration on Thursday, March 14th, at the Grappone Conference Center in Concord. This year is NHBR’s 16th year celebrating New Hampshire’s Best of Business. Come celebrate with us and network with business leaders from across New Hampshire in a fun and festive party atmosphere. There will also be a chance to win prizes and help raise money for Make-A-Wish New Hampshire. Don’t miss out, register early and get your tickets online at NHBR.com

Thank you to New Hampshire Business Review for this opportunity and for showcasing the Best of Business across New Hampshire!

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TFMoran Gets New Water Bottles!

These blue and silver water bottles have been a hit! TFMoran has been looking for a water bottle that would work best for our company for some time now. We wanted a product that would keep water cold for hours so that when our engineers and surveyors are on-site, they can stay hydrated and refreshed! These bottles do exactly that! Not only are they insulated and stainless steel, but they are also dishwasher safe which is a huge bonus. TFMoran employees are definitely loving the new swag!

Thank you, Cate Cruess, for modeling these brand-new water bottles!

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Andrew Griffin receives New Hampshire Professional Engineer License

Andrew Griffin, PE recently earned his Professional Engineer license for the State of New Hampshire. Mr. Griffin serves as a Structural Project Engineer in the Portsmouth office and joined TFMoran in 2018. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Vermont. Mr. Griffin’s structural design experience includes steel and timber commercial, industrial, and residential buildings, and concrete foundations.

Congratulations, Andrew!

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Sponsoring the Greater Derry Londonderry Chamber of Commerce State of the Region

TFMoran sponsored the Greater Derry Londonderry Chamber of Commerce‘s State of the Region event held on September 29. Attendees heard from Derry’s Town Administrator David Caron and Londonderry’s Town Manager Michael Malaguti on the latest economic development in the region. Updates included recently completed and future projects for the region.

A panel discussion followed with leaders from the six surrounding communities. Topics included recently accomplished projects, municipalities’ goals, and challenges they see in the region. Panelists included John Apple of Atkinson, Dan Goonan of Auburn, Dave Caron from the town of Derry, Sean Murphy of Hampstead, Mike Malaguti of Londonderry, Lynne Blaisdell of Sandown and Alex Mello of Windham.

TFMoran was a bronze sponsor for the event.

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TFMoran Celebrates at the BOB Awards

Members of the TFM staff turned out at the NHBR Best of Business (BOB) Awards Celebration on Thursday, March 10th at the Grappone Conference Center in Concord. This year’s theme was “Masquerade”, encouraging guests to dress in their semi-formal attire and a masquerade style mask. TFM sponsored the Photobooth at the event – attendees enjoyed stopping by to strike a pose!

TFMoran was honored to receive our TENTH straight BOB Award as “Best Engineering Firm” in New Hampshire Business Review’s BOB Awards reader’s survey. “It is a great honor that we have now won for the past ten years in a row!” said Robert Duval, president of TFMoran. “I believe this remarkable degree of community recognition is a reflection of our core values: focusing on client service and delivering the right engineering solution for every project.”

Congratulations to all the BOB Award winners!

A portion of the proceeds went to benefit Waypoint, a non-profit organization (formerly Child and Family Services).

See more photos of the event here.

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TFMoran’s Maureen Kelly Featured in High Profile’s Women in Construction Week Supplement

TFMoran’s own Maureen Kelly, EIT, Civil Project Engineer in our Bedford office has a featured profile in High Profile’s Women in Construction special issue. Ms. Kelly holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Massachusetts Lowell, where she participated in several student scholarships and service-learning opportunities. In her professional role, Maureen enjoys projects that incorporate environmental benefits and equitable design. Maureen works in site design, all levels of permitting, utility layout, and stormwater infrastructure.

See Maureen’s full profile here, and check out High Profile‘s Women in Construction Supplement.

Congratulations, Maureen! And happy WIC Week!

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Celebrating Women In Construction Week 2022

National Women In Construction Week is upon us! Put on by the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC), ‘WIC’ week, March 6-12 celebrates Women in the industry including women builders, engineers, surveyors, project management, administration, and leadership.

Women in Construction (WIC) Week raises awareness and celebrates the work of women in the construction industry across the country. NAWIC founded WIC Week in 1998 to continue its mission of strengthening and amplifying the success of women in the industry. This year’s theme is ‘Envision Equity.’

Just in time for this week of celebration, TFMoran’s own Maureen Kelly, Civil Project Engineer in our Bedford office had a featured profile in High Profile’s Women in Construction special issue. Also in this issue- TFMoran’s team of Professional Women are recognized for their contribution to the Construction Industry.

Check out Maureen’s profile!

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Robert Duval’s 2022 Forecast Spotlight Published in New England Real Estate Journal

New England Real Estate Journal’s January 29th issue features a Forecast Spotlight with 17 professionals from numerous industries, including TFMoran President, Robert Duval. Bob gives his perspective on how the construction industry has been reinventing itself over the past few decades.

More and more, the construction industry needs people with training in digital controls and software engineering that was once exclusive to the electronics industry. These new design and construction jobs demand more skill and training than ever. Trade schools and community colleges across the country need to recognize this education gap and offer more relevance in their training programs so that young people get the training they need to become a productive part of the construction industry. When they see that construction careers can be as creative and rewarding as any other industry, we will start to see some progress in the skilled labor market.

Robert Duval

To read Bob’s full forecast spotlight article, click this pdf link or continue reading below.

2022 Forecast Spotlight

The construction industry has quietly been reinventing itself over the past few decades

Labor shortages, rising prices, and regulatory delays. No sector of the economy seems to be immune to these problems, although the construction sector seems to be among the hardest hit. “When will things return to normal” is no longer the question – the new normal is all around us. Although these problems may have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, they began long before January 2020.

Many of us in the construction industry have been concerned for years about the shortage of young people choosing careers in the design professions and construction trades. In part, this is because young people have been turning away from careers in the construction industry, which many see as less glamourous and less rewarding than careers in the medical and high-tech industries.

However, the construction industry has been quietly reinventing itself over the past few decades, moving away from hand tools to automation and prefabrication. Today, blueprints are replaced by virtual 3D models. These digital models are fed into automated fabrication shops that measure, cut and assemble parts that may never be touched by human hands until they reach the job site. And at the jobsite, buildings can now be erected by giant “3D printers” as the technological challenges are solved one by one. Even the bulldozers almost run themselves as they move tons of earth across a site with on-board computers that make adjustments automatically to the contours dictated by a 3D site model.

More and more, the construction industry needs people with training in digital controls and software engineering that was once exclusive to the electronic industry. These new design and construction jobs demand more skill and training than ever. Trade schools and community colleges across the country need to recognize this education gap and offer more relevance in their training programs so that young people get the training they need to become a productive part of the construction industry. When they see that construction careers can be as creating and rewarding as any other industry, we will start to see some progress in the skilled labor market.

We have all seen regulatory delays increasing for many years now due to the expanding scope and complexity of environmental regulation. Driving the many new and expanded rules are heightened concerns over threatened species, plants as well as animals, even in densely developed areas. Concerns over migratory birds, for example, attach to extremely wide regions. These considerations can affect timeframes for certain activities, require protective radii around certain habitats, and impose other significant restrictions.

There is also a new emphasis on historic structures, potentially including any structure over fifty years old, and potential archeological sites, now considered almost any site near a waterbody or other landscape that may have attracted early settlements. Much attention has been paid recently to “emerging contaminants”. This includes traces of chemicals at levels that would have been undetectable even a few years ago, but are now established as regulatory limits.

These and other similar concerns are being raised at a pace that outstrips the ability of the administrative rule process to keep up. The result has been an increasing subjectivity, lack of clarity, and a dramatic stretching-out of the review process in the last few years.

So how do we manage project delivery times and costs in the face of these challenges? It beings with the understanding that projects cannot be addressed the same old way. It takes a team of experts who know their way through the regulatory jungle; who understand the high-tech nature of today’s construction. Above all, it takes careful preparation, flexible scheduling, and the ability to react quickly and effectively to this changing world.

Robert Duval, PE, LEED AP, is president/chief engineer of TFMoran, Bedford and Portsmouth, NH.